AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST CIRCULATING MANUFACTURING MAGAZINE
Industry Update
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Issue 119 April/May 2021 $12.00 INC.GST
Let's inoculate country against supply chain risk Industry Update has long campaigned for the domestic manufacture of critical supplies. With the disruption to global supply chains wrought by COVID-19, this message has never been more important. It’s hard to think of a more critical product than life-saving drugs. Worryingly, about 90% of our pharmaceutical consumption is manufactured offshore, according to the Institute for Integrated Economic Research Australia. This means that our health is at the mercy of global supply, which may be disrupted by catastrophe. Looming large in our medication supply chain is China, which just so happens to be our key geo-political vulnerability. The issue has too long been
neglected by all sides of politics. We are pleased to see positive signs, with Prime Minister Morrison declaring support for greater drug production. His government is talking to big pharmaceutical firms to make this happen. And Victoria’s Acting Premier James Merlino has announced an offer of $50 million to support establishing a facility for manufacturing mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, influenza and other conditions. Unfortunately domestic production of mRNA vaccines is probably more than a year away. Commonwealth Shadow Health Minister Mark Butler says the government could do more if it wanted to. He points to Germany, which built a
AUSTRALIA’S LEADING PACKAGING EQUIPMENT MACHINERY PAGE 30
state-of-the-art mRNA vaccine factory in about six months. “It’s needed very urgently,” said Mr Butler. “We have a deal with Pfizer, but we’re reliant on suppliers from overseas.” Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews has said that part of the solution lies in building the capacity of the existing pharmaceutical sector to pivot to producing other medication in the event of a crisis. A strong domestic pharmaceutical industry would boost other Australian manufacturers and suppliers of inputs to drug manufacturing. All of this is a case of better late than never. For Australia’s safety and security, let’s keep the pressure on the government.
TREOTHAM PRODUCT PROFILE PAGE 36-37
MAGAZINE
Women leading in manufacturing
Women in manufacturing is a campaign by the Government's Boosting Female Founders Initiative that is worth up to $52 million. It is for female-led businesses to be able to scale up, create new jobs and take on new markets. This stems from government recognition that female entrepreneurs are under-represented in the innovation and technology sectors. According to the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, in today's manufacturing environment, industry can make use of the many skills and experiences, a well as the passion, that women entrepreneurs can bring to industry. For example, the CEO of CleanSpace Technology, Dr Alex Birell (pictured here), is behind the distribution and promotion of the modern powered respirators used by healthworkers in Australia Continued on page 14
FEARLESS ROBOT LABOURERS PAGE 45
LAPP AUSTRALIA FOUNDER BORN 100 YEARS AGO PAGE 58
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